Québec ELA 6 Ministerial Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main idea

The central point a text makes about its topic, expressible in one sentence and supported by most paragraphs.

Inference

A conclusion drawn from clues in the text combined with prior knowledge, never stated directly but consistent with the whole passage.

Explicit information

Details stated directly in the text that a reader can locate and quote without drawing any conclusion beyond the words used.

Narrative conflict

The central struggle driving a story's plot, typically person against person, self, nature, or society, resolved near the ending.

Theme

A statement about human experience that a literary text develops throughout, expressed as a full sentence rather than a single topic word.

Context clue

Surrounding words or sentence logic that reveal an unfamiliar word's meaning; the substitute must fit both sentence and passage.

Text organization pattern

The structural logic of a passage such as chronology, cause-effect, comparison, or problem-solution, signalled by transition words.

Writing process stages

Planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing; revising addresses meaning and organization, editing addresses grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Topic sentence

The sentence stating a paragraph's controlling idea, usually placed first and supported by the details that follow it.

Cohesion

The linking of sentences and paragraphs through pronoun reference, synonyms, transitions, and repeated key terms so the text reads as one whole.

Register

The level of formality in word choice and sentence structure, adjusted to the audience and purpose of the writing task.

Counterargument

An opposing position a persuasive text acknowledges and answers, strengthening the writer's credibility and the argument's completeness.

Revision versus editing

Revision changes ideas, order, or clarity; editing corrects grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The problem type decides which step applies.

Pronoun antecedent

The noun a pronoun replaces; every pronoun needs one clear, nearby antecedent to avoid ambiguity in a sentence or paragraph.

Active listening

Attending to a speaker, interpreting the message, recalling key points, and responding, often by paraphrasing before replying.

Turn-taking

The convention of exchanging the speaking role through pauses, questions, and signals, letting each participant finish an idea.

Back-channel

A brief verbal or nonverbal signal such as a nod or "I see" showing a listener follows without claiming the speaking turn.

Communication noise

Any physical, psychological, or semantic interference that distorts a message between sender and receiver and reduces understanding.

Clarification request

A question asking a speaker to repeat or explain, used to repair misunderstanding and confirm meaning before responding.

Oral presentation structure

An opening hook, a stated purpose, organized main points with transitions, and a closing summary that restates the central message.

Nonverbal communication

Meaning carried by eye contact, posture, gesture, volume, and pace, which should match and support the spoken words.

Sentence fragment

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a predicate, or a complete thought.

Run-on sentence

Two independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction, needing a period, semicolon, or coordinating word.

Semicolon use

A punctuation mark joining two independent clauses, or separating items in a series that already contain commas.

Subject-verb agreement

The rule that a verb matches its head noun in number, ignoring intervening phrases, with indefinite pronouns like everyone taking singular verbs.

Dangling modifier

An introductory phrase whose implied subject does not match the sentence's actual subject, producing an illogical or unclear statement.

Apostrophe functions

Marking possession (singular 's, plural s') and contractions; "its" is possessive while "it's" stands for "it is".

Tense consistency

Maintaining one dominant verb tense across a text and shifting only to signal a genuine change in time.

Fact versus opinion

A fact is verifiable by evidence; an opinion is a judgment. Persuasive texts often phrase opinions to sound factual.

Irony

A gap between what is said or expected and what is meant or occurs, often used to criticize or to create humour.

Point of view

The narrative perspective: first person is limited and subjective, third-person omniscient knows all, third-person limited stays with one character.

Textual evidence

A quoted or closely paraphrased passage used to support an interpretation, followed by explanation linking it to the claim made.